Fire-extinguishing apparatus for wells.



M 13. LA YNE.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS FOR WELLS.

APPLICATION FILED n20 a 1907.

910,295. I Patented Jan. 19. 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES M. E. LAYNE. FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS FOR WELLS. 7

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 3,1907. 910,295. Patented Jan. 19, 1909 2SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR mZAzM 4149M uuiirsri lyLlHLON E. LAYNE, OF HOUSTON, TEXASFILRE-EXTINGUISHING AEPARAT'JS FUR WELLS.

we, moses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. lessee.

Application filed December 3, 1957. Serial Ho. 484,379.

5 of Texas, have invented certsin new and useful nproveinents inFire-Extinguishing Appv ul as for Wells, of which the following 15 especification.

The invention relates to mechanism for piecing under control ignited oilgushers. The invention has for its primary objects; the provision ofimproved mechanism by which the oil flowing from the Well may bediverted laterally and the supply of oil and gas diverted from theignited body of fluid; the provision of a. mechanism or the typespecified "which may be easily and safely plac d in posi io bycperetorsWithout approaching dangerously near the well, and the provision ofmechanism which shall be simple in construction and reliable inoperation. {lerteiu embodiments of the invention are illustrated in theeccompo-o fing drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a, side elevation of thepreferrcd form of the apparatus,

Figure '2 is an enlarged detail sect-ion through the head which fitsover the well casing,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure1,

Figure 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4l of Figure ,1,

Figure 's a detail side elevation of a 5 modified form of constructionfor anchoring the apparatus to the Well casing,

V Figure 6 is wtrsnsvcrse section on the line VI-VI of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional detail 40 View on the line VII-V1I ofFigure 3.

Herctofore it has been found extremely r diliicult and ln 'V11lfLIl}"C1S-f-l impossible to extinguishburning oil and gas wells, because of thepressure of the escaping fluid, and because of the great heat in theimmediate vicinity of the well. constituting my invention is designed toaccomplish the extinguislnnent of such burning. wells, and comprisesapparatus for diverting the flow of oil and gas from the mouth of theWell-laterally through a pipe line wl'iereby the supply of comhus- Theno stratus tible material to the upper strata of on at which ignitionoccurs is cut ed, and any ignited fluid in the pipe line quenched eitherbecause of the insufiicierfitsupply of air or by the addition of steamor other vapor. The apparatus is so constructed that the upward flow offluid from the mouth of the Well is unconfined until the device ispositioned over the Well and securely anchored, at which time the flowof oil is suddenly diverted through the pi e line Referring first to t eenercl arrange ment of parts as indiceted m Figure 1, 1 is the Wellcasing to which it is desired to e ply the apfpsrstus, 2 is e leterellyexten; 111g pipe 0 suliiclent capac ty to carry the flow of oil from theWell, which pipe hes the curved end 3, end-is mou.iited forrfio=rs mentupon two pairs of Wheels l and 5, 6 is the heed oi the -emmretus whichis sci-outed to he clamped over the top of the Well casino, 1, 7 is anupward extension through uduch the oil flows when the sppm-stus is firstplaced in position over the Well casing 1, and from which the flow isdiverted to the ipe 2 after the parts are securely anchored, S is ameans for operat; ing the velve which diverts the flow of oil fronl theupright pipe 7 to the pipe 2, w sh dev ce is opemole from the rear partof the apparatus, 9 is a pipe connection to the upright pipe 7, and theletercl pipe 2 through. whif pipe steam or other extinguishing vapor maybe supplied. if necessory,-eud 10 is the pivoted cap secured to the topof the upright pipe 7 and designed to out off t e supply of air to suchpipe '2 when the v ve in the head 6 has been turned to divert the lieuof oil through the pipe 2. The pipe 2 is supported at the wheels 4 bymeans of the U shaped axle 11 Fig 3), to which it secured by means ofthe brackets 12. Secured on either side of'thc brackets 12 is the end ofthe our post Secured to the upper end of this post is the truss-rod 14,which trussrod us shown in Figure 1, is provided with the tighteningturn-buckles on either side of the post and secured at its two ends tothe pipe by mes-us oithe collars 155. This arrangement is designed tostiffen the pipe 2 which constitutes the heck bone of the apparatus, andprevent sagging w hen the wheels 4 are withdrawn from the ground in amanner to be hereinafter described. The construction of the head of thedevice 6 which is to be secured to the well casing 1 is illustrated inFigure 2. As here shown this head compries a box portion to which isconnected the pipe 7 and the curved end 3 of the pipe 2 in t-he mannershown: The lower portion 16 of the box 6 is of suiflcient size tofitsnugly over the end of the well casing 1, and such end is provided withthe spring catches 17 which slip over the flange 18 of the well casing 1and securely lock the head 6 against vertical movement. A convergingportion 18 is provided just above the portion 16, which convergingportion is designed to prevent the upwardly directed fluid from strikingany projecting portions in the box or head 6. In order to direct thefluid from the pipe 7 to the end 3, the swinging valve 19 is provided,which valve is, -piyoted'upon the rod 20 and has a curved ower face 21to reduce the impact upon the valve, and more easily divert the fluidthrough the pipe 3 when the parts are in the position of Figure 2. A,recess 22 is provided in the rear of the head 6 to receive the valve 19,so that all portions thereof willbe out of line of the upwardly directedfluid passing through the portion 18. The rod 20 carrying the valve isoperated by means 'of the arm 23 on the end of such rod, which arm 23 isin turn operated by the connecting rod 8 which extends to a bracket 24at the rear of the machine. The rear end of the rod 8 is screw threadedfor the adjustment of the handle 25, and such handle 25 is adapted totake against a block 26, which is held spaced away from the bracket 24by means of the's ring 27.

I ca

When the valve '19 is moved part y toward the position of Figure 2, andthe impact of the oil carries it violently to.its final position, thehandle 25 striking against the spring-supported member 26 secures a sring seating of the valve, and injur tile parts is avoided. In' order tota e a certainamount of strain off the. holding catches 17, it isdesirable to add the weight of the apparatus to assist in anchoring thedevice against vertical movement, .and iii order to accomplish thisresult the wheels 4 are mounted forvertical adjustment as are also thewheels 5, so that after the device is positioned over the well casingthe wheels 4 may be raised from the ground, and the wheels 5 lowered,thereby throwing the weight of the device to a large extent u on thepoint of engagement between the ead 6 and the well casing 1. In order tosecure the vertical adjustment. of the wheels 4, they are mounted. uponthe U' shaped axle 11 66 (Figure 3), and this ,axle is made rotatableamass by means of the segmental worm-wheel 28 keyed to the axle 11 asindicated in Figures 3 and 7, which worm-wheel is operated by theworm-gear 29 carried by the bearing 30 also mounted upon the axle in themanner shown in Figure 2. 'lhe worm-gear is rotated by means of itsshaft 32 which extends to the rear of the appathe rear wheels 5adjustable with respect to the pipe 2, a bracket 34 is secured to thepipe 2, and it is made adjustable with respect to the frame-work 35carried by the wheels 5 by means of the screw 36 swiveled at its lowerend in such frame 35 and working through a nut 37 upon the yoke 34.

In operation the machine having the parts in the position shown is movedto a position with the head 6 over the well casing 1, at which time thehand-wheel 33 is operated to move the U shaped axle 11 carrying the pipeoif center, and permit the apparatus to fall, so that the portion 16(Fig. 2) engages the top of the pipe casing, and the spring catches 17clamp over the flange 18 of the wall casing and hold the device firmlyanchored to such casing. During this 0 eration, the valve 19 is held'inits rea'rwar position in the recess 22, and the cap 10, (Fig. 1), isopened so that the fluid from the well passes unconfined upward throughthe pipe 7, while the parts are being positioned. Af ter the parts arepositioned, .the rod 8 is pushed forward so that the valve 19 assumesthe position shown in Figure 2, the impact of the fluid tending to carrythe valve'to its seated position after it passes into the stream offluid, and the spring '27 permitting a seating of the valve withoutundue shock to the parts. The supply of oil and gas to the uper strataof air ed in the lateral pi e 2, the fire is extinguished because of lacof air, or if necessary steam or other extinguishing vapor may besupplied to the pipes 7 and 2 by means of the pipe 9, shown in Figure 1.After the fire as been extinguished the valve 19 may be returned to itsoriginal position in the recess eing out ofl and the oil con 22 allowingthe fluid to escape upward erases is being wheeled about on the Wheels4, and the subsequent lowering of such wheels pre liminary to thelowering of the apparatus about the axle 11. it will be understood, thatwhen the device is loweredover the well casing the princi al weight isborne by the rear wheels 5 an the well casing 1, so that the weight ofthe device, which is considerable, assists mat'erially in holding theapparatus against vertical movement when thevalve;l9 is moved to theposition of Figure 2. An alternative method of clamping the device tothe well casing l is shown in Figures 5 "rear of the machine.

and 6. As here shown the truss-member 39 is secured to the'bottom of thepipe 2 and projects to a position with its other end adacent to the wellcasing which. latter end is provided with a plate 40, and is supportedagainst vertical movement by means of the connecting rods ll providedwith the adjusting turn-buckle 42. The plate carries pivoted to itsunder-side the tongs 43, adapted to clasp the i e beneath the flange 18and securely hold tlle apparatus against vertical movement. The tongsare operated by means of a pair of toggle levers 44 provided with anoperating rod 45 extending to the Thespring catches 17 through theapparatus while the apparatus is being positioned; I

2. An extinguisher for Wells comprising a movably mounted lateral pipeline adapted to make connections with the top of a Well tube, means forsecuring the end of the pipe to the well casing and means whereby thefluid from the well is allowed to escape freely upward through theapparatus until the securing means is adjusted and then directing suchfiuid through the lateral pipe line.

3. An extinguisher for wells comprising a movably mounted lateral pipeline adapted to make connections with. the top of a well tube, springcatches for securing the end of the ipe to the well casing, and meanswhereby t e fiuidfrom the well is allowed to escape freely upwardthrough the apparatus until the catc es engage the Well casing and thenilirecting such fluid through the lateral pipe 4. An extinguisher forwells comprising a movably mounted lateral pipe line having an upwardlydirected outlet adjacent its end and means for directing fluid eitherthrough such outlet or through the pipe, and means for anchoring the endof the pipe over the well casing. i

An extinguisher for wells comprising a laterally directed pipe linehaving a down-- wardly extending end, a truck on which the pipe line iscarried in such manner that the downwardly extending end may be movedvertically, catches on the downwardly ex tending end for enga ing thetop of a well casing, a vertical out et pipe extendim upward. from thedownwardly directed end and means whereby the fluid entering thedownwardly extending end may be directed either upward through theoutlet'pipe or laterally through the pipe line.

6. An extinguisher for wells comprising a laterally directed. pipe linehaving a downwardly extending end, a truck on which the pipe line iscarried in such manner that the downwardly extending end may be movedvertically, catches on the downwardly extending end for engaging the topof a well casing, a vertical outlet pipe exteudin upwardly from thedownwardly directed and and means whereby the fluid entering thedownwardly extending end may be directed either upward through theoutlet pipe or laterally through the pipeline, and a cap andextinguishing means for the outlet pipe.

7. A movable extinguisher for wel s comprising in combination, a headfor fitting the well casing having an upwardly directed outlet, alaterally extending pipe connected to the head, and a valve for sendingthe flow from the well either throu h the-saidv pipp or permitting it toescape tlirough'the out et.

8. A movable extinguisher for wells comprising in combination, a headfor fitting the well casing having an upwardly directed outlet, alaterally extending ipe connected to the head, a valve for sen mg theflow from the Well either through the ,said pipe or permittin'g it toescape through the outlet, and connections for applying an extinguishingfluid to the interior or" the ipe.

- 9. A movable extinguis er for wells comrisui 1n combination. a headfor fittm the well casing having an upwardly directed outlet, alaterally extending pipe connected to the head, -a valve for sending theflow from the well either through the said pipe or per mitting it toescape through the outlet and connections for applying an extin ishingfluid to the outlet portion of the hea i 10. A movable extinguisher. forwellscom prising in combination, a head for fitting the well casinghaving an upwardly directedoutlet, a laterally extendingipe'connectecl'to the head, a valve for send the well either throu h thesaid pipe or permitting it to escape t rough the outlet, and anadjustable supporting means for the a rparatus whereby the apparatus maye mg the flow from lowered so that its weight rests partially Intestimony whereof I have hereunto upon the well casing. signed my namein the presence of the two 11. An extinguis er for wells comprising asubscribed-Witnesses. movably mounted lateral pipe line having an MAHLONE. LAYNE. 5 upwardly directed outlet adjacent its end WVitnesses:

and means for directin flu id either through J. C. BRADLEY, such outletor through t e pipe. DOERING BELLINGER.

